Yes crappies which go by peculiar names such as calico bass, speckled perch, speckled bass, white perch, pole crappies, strawberry bass, and papermouth can be caught during the coldwater period of fall and early winter. The cold water period typically starts after the water has turned over and the thermocline stratified Also The water temperatures will have dropped below the mid 50 degree mark. Surface water temperatures will be the same as the bottom water temperatures. As the weather continues to get colder the water temperatures at the bottom will be warmer than that at surface. One the water has turned, Coldwater crappie fishing patterns will start to emerge.
Although the speckled basse’s metabolism has dropped the cooling envirement has also triggered the crappie’s instinct to feed for the upcoming winter months. The strawberry bass may move slow during the cold water period but they will not pass up a good meal if you present a good crappie bait.
To catch crappie in large deeper lakes and reservoirs during the stable coldwater period you will need crappie fishing rigs set up for a deep water crappie fishing presentation. And ideal crappie bait to use during this period is any small invertabrates such as small crayfish. During the cold water period the water turnover sends the the warmest oxinated water to the bottom , and the coldest water goes to the top. Soon after the water turnover period has stabilized all the strawberry bass and the natural forage will they need will seek the deep water area where the waters are warmest.
To fish the a deep water presentation you will need to use a good deep water slip bobber rig with crappie jigs and crappie jigs with safety pin spinners. A excellent coldwater crappie live bait selection to catch crappie would be small crayfish, crappie minnows, fathead minnows or shiners. You can also catch crappie with a deepwater slop bobber rig fished on the bottom using enough weight and a crappie hook tipped with a live small crayfish as your crappie bait. In larger deep lakes and reservoirs you will find calico bass at deep areas off main lake shorelines in 3o to 45ft of water loacated on a soft bottom area. In shallow bowl shapped lakes with little structure, papermouth may suspend right in the middle of the lake in 20 to 30 ft of water. In any papermouth habitat area, strawberry bass will suspend 5 to 10ft off the bottom. During the stable coldwater period coldwater period you will seldom find strawberry bass near the surface.
We hope the information in this article about Crappie Live Bait. We wish you the best of luck on your next fishing trip!
